The present invention is directed to fashion accessories for hair, and more particularly to a hair accessory which combines in a novel and advantageous manner a claw-type hair clip, itself of known design, and one or more elongated ribbon-like strips of artificial hair incorporated with the clip in a unique way to provide an especially attractive accessory device.
In the invention of my co-pending application I have combined one or more ribbon-like strips of artificial hair preferably of a type known as "track hair", with a claw-type hair clip in a manner such that end margins of the strip, similar to the selvage edge of a fabric, are secured to inside surfaces of individual ones of the pivotally connected claw elements of the hair clip. The strands of hair, forming a strip section, extend out of the clip, typically through spaces between claw tines of the clip, but additionally, or alternatively, through other openings of the clip, such as through an end opening, upwardly between the pivotally connected clip elements, or through openings formed in upper portions of the claw elements.
In the device of the present invention, arrangements are made for an elongated strip of artificial hair to be oriented with respect to the claw-type clip such that the selvage-like margin at the end of the strip is at right angles to the pivot axis of the clip, allowing the strands of hair to be aligned generally parallel with the pivot axis, and enabling the hair to exit naturally from an end of the clip. This desired orientation of the hair strip is enabled by employing a flexible bridging element, which is secured to inside surfaces of both elements of the clip and extends from one to the other below but close to the pivot axis. The flexible bridging element conceals the selvage margin of the hair strip, which can be somewhat unsightly, and provides a continuous surface for mounting of the hair strip.
In certain embodiments of the invention, hair strips may be secured to the bridging element in different orientations, for example, a first strip may be aligned with its selvage margin at right angles to the pivot axis and one or more additional strips may be oriented at right angles to the first. In other embodiments, the selvage margins of one or more strips may be aligned generally at right angles to the pivot axis of the clip, with the strands of the hair exiting the clip through one end. The strip-like sections of artificial hair may be provided as free strands or in braided or other processed form.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and to the accompanying drawings.